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International Legal Experts Urge Action to End Japanese Whaling

Wednesday, 14 November, 2007

London, United Kingdom

An international panel of independent
legal experts convened in London has today issued a detailed report challenging
the legal status of Japan’s whaling operations, particularly the taking of
endangered sei and humpback whales. The expert panel also recommends actions to
be taken against the Government of Japan for its violations of the Convention on
International Trade in Endangered Species
(CITES).

Today’s report, dubbed the London Report on Illegal Whaling, comes as the
Government of Japan prepares to launch its whaling fleet into international
waters later this week. Its dramatic findings add to a growing body of
legal opinion sharply critical of Japan’s expanding whaling operations. Since an
international ban on commercial whaling was first imposed by the International
Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1986, Japan has argued its ongoing whaling is
conducted for “scientific” purposes.

The London Report finds
Japan’s current and proposed takings of humpback and sei whales as well as other
whale species “are for primarily commercial purposes” and “plainly constitute
international trade.” Japan has previously announced it intends to kill more
than 1,400 whales this year including 100 sei whales and 50 humpback whales, a
species protected from commercial hunting for more than 40 years.

The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW - www.ifaw.org), which commissioned the
independent legal review, says the time has come for decisive action to end
Japan’s expanding whaling program. “Some of the world’s top legal experts
have made the case. Japan’s whaling is not just cruel, it’s
criminal. It is time for the international community to act to end this
illegal activity,” said Patrick Ramage IFAW Global Whale Program Manager.

Ambassador Alberto Szekely, an international law Professor who
served as coordinator of the London Panel and related expert panels convened in
Paris and Sydney last year said “Japan’s repeated assertion that its whaling
activities are legal is incorrect and misleading. “Scientific whaling” as
conducted by Japan violates international law and should not be allowed to
continue.”